B^6 THE PHILOSOPHY 



combs. They fometimes confift of fifteen, and fometimes 

 of eleven only. The combs are of various diameters. The 

 firft, or uppcrmoft-, is often only two inches in diameter, 

 while thofe of the middle fometimes exceed a foot. The 

 lowefb are alfo much fmaller than the middle ones. AH 

 thefe combs, like fo many floors or fkoreys ranged parallelly 

 above each other, aflford lodging to prodigious numbers of 

 inhabitants. Reaumur computed, from the number of cells 

 in a given portion of comb, that in a medium fized neil, 

 there were at leaft 10,000 cells. This calculation gives an 

 idea of the aftonilhing prolific powers of thefe infefls, and 

 of the vaft numbers of individuals produced in a fingle feafon 

 from one nefi: ; for every cell ferves as a lodging to no lefs 

 than three generations. Hence a moderately fized nefi; gives 

 birth annually to 30,000 young wafps. 



The difi'erent ftoreys of combs are always about half an 

 inch high, which leaves free pafi^ages to the wafps from one 

 part of the neft to another. Thefe intervals are fo fpacious, 

 that, in proportion to the bulk of the animals, they may be 

 compared to great halls, or broad ftreets. Each of the larg- 

 er combs is fupported by about fifty pillars, which, at the 

 fame time, give folidity to the fabric, and greatly ornament 

 the whole nefi:. The lefier combs are fupported by the fame 

 ingenious contrivance. Thefe pillars are coarfe, and of a 

 roundifli form. Their bafes and capitals, however, are much 

 larger in diameter than towards the middle. By the one 

 end they are attached to the fuperior comb, and by the oth- 

 er to the inferior. Thus between two combs there is al- 

 ways a fpecles of ruftic colonade. The wafps begin at the 

 top and build downward. The uppermoft and fmallefi comb 

 is firft confirucSted. It is attached to the fuperior part of 

 the external covering. The fecond comb is fixed to the 

 bottom of the firft •, and in this manner the animals proceed 

 till the whole operation is completed. The connedling pil- 



